Railroad Forums
Waterbury service
- Discussion relating to the operations of MTA MetroNorth Railroad including west of Hudson operations and discussion of CtDOT sponsored rail operations such as Shore Line East and the Springfield to New Haven Hartford Line
Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, nomis, FL9AC, Jeff Smith
by george matthews
Why were the trains substituted by buses? I travelled on this line 4 years ago and thought the train was rather old and dirty, and that the stations were rudimentary. Clearly the line could do with some upgrading. A platform at Waterbury able to take only one door would not be allowed by Health and Safety in Britain.
I was visiting my now wife, and she, a resident of Waterbury, was not aware there was a train. Perhaps they could try to get more passengers - though the train was not at all empty.
Is there any freight on this line? I suspect the track is time expired, as well as the train.
I was visiting my now wife, and she, a resident of Waterbury, was not aware there was a train. Perhaps they could try to get more passengers - though the train was not at all empty.
Is there any freight on this line? I suspect the track is time expired, as well as the train.
by TomNelligan
"Is there any freight on this line?"
There's minimal local freight service from Waterbury as far south as Beacon Falls run by Springfield Terminal (Guilford) once or twice a week, plus Providence & Worcester uses the portion of the line between Devon and Derby Junction for stone trains during the warm weather months.
As a former longtime resident of the Naugatuck Valley, I *never* saw any attempt at advertising rail service, and I too wonder how people were supposed to know about it. It's probably true that a lot of people don't know it exists. Plus, given the infrequent schedule, it's often more convenient to drive to a mainline station like Milford, Stratford, or Bridgeport and take the train to New York from there.
There's minimal local freight service from Waterbury as far south as Beacon Falls run by Springfield Terminal (Guilford) once or twice a week, plus Providence & Worcester uses the portion of the line between Devon and Derby Junction for stone trains during the warm weather months.
As a former longtime resident of the Naugatuck Valley, I *never* saw any attempt at advertising rail service, and I too wonder how people were supposed to know about it. It's probably true that a lot of people don't know it exists. Plus, given the infrequent schedule, it's often more convenient to drive to a mainline station like Milford, Stratford, or Bridgeport and take the train to New York from there.
by george matthews
Even if a line is heavily subsidised there should be an attempt to increase ridership. The trains were not very attractive, and could not be replaced by modern DMUs without investment in stations, but there must be potential customers who do not use it.
Of course the trains are not frequent enough.
In short the line needs to be modernised. In Britain they would appoint a single manager with responsibility for the line whose orders would be to increase ridership and improve the service.
Of course the trains are not frequent enough.
In short the line needs to be modernised. In Britain they would appoint a single manager with responsibility for the line whose orders would be to increase ridership and improve the service.
by george matthews
http://mta.info/mnr/html/planning/sched ... erbury.htm
This shows no trains, only buses, though perhaps it is Sunday service.
Now my wife wants to use the line. I think she will have to take the bus from Bridgeport.
This shows no trains, only buses, though perhaps it is Sunday service.
Now my wife wants to use the line. I think she will have to take the bus from Bridgeport.
by george matthews
I recognise a pattern in the way this line is being managed. In Britain when the authorities wanted to close a line they would make the timetable inconvenient, fail to advertise the service and then claim there was no demand. This belongs to the past as I think no line is currently under threat.
Has there been any progress on extending this line to Hartford as was proposed about ten years ago?
Has there been any progress on extending this line to Hartford as was proposed about ten years ago?
by george matthews
by DutchRailnut
Don't forget David Metro North only operates the Service under Contract for Conndot(Connecticut Department of Tar), M-N has no operational decision making, that lays completly at Harry Harris and the Funding of your Fine Governor Rowland 
If Conductors are in charge, why are they promoted to be Engineer???
Retired Triebfahrzeugführer. I am not a moderator.
Retired Triebfahrzeugführer. I am not a moderator.
by george matthews
A couple of days ago my wife made a journey from Old Saybrook to Waterbury. She found that at Bridgeport there was no notice or sign to where the substitution buses left and as a result she missed a bus.
(She made use of the time by taking some nice photos of the ferry and the ferry terminal)
It seems to me this is not serious public transport. If buses are being used instead of trains there should be clear printed signs to lead the passenger from the platform to the bus stop.
She says there was no-one there who could tell her as the ticket seller was busy with parcels.
(She made use of the time by taking some nice photos of the ferry and the ferry terminal)
It seems to me this is not serious public transport. If buses are being used instead of trains there should be clear printed signs to lead the passenger from the platform to the bus stop.
She says there was no-one there who could tell her as the ticket seller was busy with parcels.
by Sean W.
In these days of runaway carbon emissions, massive over reliance on foreign oil and all the problems that go with it, the apparent move to phase out/get rid of this service is absurd. Then again, Connecticut has a dodgy republican governor at the helm, so I guess this is to be expected.
BTW I was on this branch last year and the train was reasonably full. If large amounts of people simply do not know that the service exists, then it has serious potential which should not be ignored.
BTW I was on this branch last year and the train was reasonably full. If large amounts of people simply do not know that the service exists, then it has serious potential which should not be ignored.
by DutchRailnut
They bought the VRE's to provide for 2000 extra seats on the mainline, but by putting the VRE's on SLE and all 4 shuttle trains system wide they free up 22 Bombardier cars for GCT service.
Besides they were still running service but just not midday. in the last Commuter Council meeting there is tak to restore the train service anyway.
Besides they were still running service but just not midday. in the last Commuter Council meeting there is tak to restore the train service anyway.
If Conductors are in charge, why are they promoted to be Engineer???
Retired Triebfahrzeugführer. I am not a moderator.
Retired Triebfahrzeugführer. I am not a moderator.
by Noel Weaver
I rode this line a couple of years ago on a Sunday and the two car train
was quite well patronized. This in spite of terrible facilities along the route
such as no indoor waiting areas, no ticket offices available and at least in
the case of Waterbury, people of "ill repute" seem to frequent the station
area. I suspect that there is no advertiseing of this service either.
There are a lot of things that could be done by the State of Connecticut to
greatly improve this operation.
Noel Weaver
was quite well patronized. This in spite of terrible facilities along the route
such as no indoor waiting areas, no ticket offices available and at least in
the case of Waterbury, people of "ill repute" seem to frequent the station
area. I suspect that there is no advertiseing of this service either.
There are a lot of things that could be done by the State of Connecticut to
greatly improve this operation.
Noel Weaver